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Bullpen implodes again

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Even though the San Francisco Giants defeated the San Diego Padres on Thursday afternoon, the bullpen continues to falter.

Javier Lopez gave up a double to Carlos Gonzalez that scored Charlie Blackmon on the first batter he faced, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Giants 8-6 before a crowd of 41,887, the 366th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park. Following an intentional walk to Nolan Arenado, Ben Paulsen hit a two-run single that scored Troy Tulowitzki and Gonzalez.

The Giants tied up the game in the previous half-inning, as Brandon Belt singled in Matt Duffy and then Brandon Crawford singled in Buster Posey. All four hits came with two outs for the Giants.

Arenado gave the Rockies the lead in the top of the sixth inning, as he hit a towering three-run home run into the left field bleachers that also scored Tulowitzki and Gonzalez.

Andrew Susac gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit a solo home run off of Rockies starter Chad Bettis, breaking the scoreless tie.

Hudson lasted 5.2 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits, walking one and striking out six, as he lost for the seventh time this season against five wins.

Bettis improved to 4-2 on the season, as he went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three.

Lopez dud not retire a batter for the second straight day, as he faced four batters on Thursday and three batters on Friday.

It was a big night for Gonzalez, as he picked up his fourth career five hit game and the first since May 6, 2014 against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field.

Arenado also did big things at the plate, as he hit two home runs, giving him 22 home runs on the season. It was the fourth multi-home run game for Arenado in his career, the third this season and second this week. Arenado also hit two home runs in the same game on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field.

The Giants mounted a mini comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Crawford scored on a passed ball with Travis Ishikawa at the plate. Following the passed ball, Ishikawa walked and then Gregor Blanco singled in Justin Maxwell, who also walked.

Joe Panik then singled in Ishikawa to narrow the lead down to 8-6, but then Matt Duffy struck out for the second out of the inning to bring up Buster Posey; however Tommy Kahnle struck out Posey to end the game.

There were three different reviews on the evening, all were challenged by the Giants and none of the three were overturned.

SaberCats score 42 straight points in win at Spokane

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By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Friday, June 26, 2015

By scoring 42 unanswered points, San Jose rolled to a 62-27 win at Spokane over the Shock in Arena Football League action Friday.

After Spokane tied the game at 20-20 on a fumble recovery for a touchdown, the SaberCats scored on touchdown passes from Meyer to Jeremy Kelley (14 yards) and Ben Nelson (5 yards) to take a 27-20 lead.

A 14-yard scoring pass from Meyer to Darius Reynolds continued the scoring streak early in the third quarter. Reggie Gray scored on an acrobatic 11-yard TD reception, Meyer added a 15-yard scoring run that put the Cats up 48-20 after three quarters.

Offensive lineman Rich Ranglin’s fifth TD of the season gave San Jose a 55-20 lead in the fourth quarter. San Jose tacked on one more touchdown before Spokane scored with under one minute to play.

SaberCats quarterback Erik Meyer completed 26 of 34 passes for 277 yards and seven touchdowns against his former team. Gray snared a game-high 14 receptions for 154 yards and four touchdowns. Nelson grabbed 10 passes for 91 yards and one TD.

Defensively, Francis Maka recorded back-to-back sacks, giving him 10 for the season. Defensive back Fredrick Obi had an interception and nine tackles, and Ken Fontenette finished with seven tackles.

After the SaberCats enjoy a Fourth of July bye week, they return to action Friday, July 10 at the SAP Center, hosting the New Orleans Hornets. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

Senior Tour Player Tom Watson

Watson Leads Opening Round of U.S Senior Open

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By Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO –

Tom Watson was not affected by the scorching heat and took the first round lead at the U,S. Senior Open at the Del Paso Country Club. Watson may have benefitted from the early tee time and took advantage of it shooting the low round of the day.

Watson finished his first round shooting a 66 . Watson had a birdie opportunity on the final hole of his round

“Man, did I want to make that putt. I was grinding on that putt more than any putt in a long time. Shoot my age in a U.S. Open Championship, that would have been pretty special.”

Watson will have an afternoon tee time in Round two. When asked about the heat yesterday after his practice round.

“Most of the players are not too bothered by the heat,. It’s the cold that gets to them. When the weather is in the 80s we start putting on the cashmeres.” said Watson.

Watson started his round on the back nine. He got off to a strong start and birdied the 10th. Watson also birdied the 15th. He struggled at the 16th where he found the water.

“The golf course is in excellent shape. The only problem is where is the shade?” Watson said “We need to map out where the shady spots are on the course.”

Watson who continues to be one of the longer hitters on the tour did struggle on the longer holes despite his advantage in driving length.

“I didn’t play those holes very well. 18, even though I hit the fairway, I didn’t hit a good second shot, rolled it over the green. Did not play those tough holes well. You’ve got to play those holes well. But I made up for it on the front nine.”

Despite that Watson felt he made things up with his play on the greens.

“I didn’t miss any makable putts with the exception of the very first hole I played in, No. 10, hit it six feet from the hole and missed it. But the putter felt good in my hands as it did in the Watson Challenge a couple weeks ago.”

Five players are one shot behind Watson, including Lee Janzen. Janzen began his round on the back nine where he shot a five-under 31. On the front nine he was two over par.

Like many of the players, Janzen was pleased with the course conditions.

“The golf course is in fantastic shape. The greens are rolling well. Everything seems to be very firm. With all the heat, the staff’s doing a great job with the firmness and the consistency and all of that. So I didn’t have to worry about any of the guessing there.” Said Janzen after his round.

Janzen also played in the U.S. Open last week, but missed the cut there.

I was playing well enough to maybe get in the top ten” which would have been a great accomplishment. I would have been very happy with that. So there’s a little bit of I knew I could do better. It carries over into this week.”

Just a stroke back from the tournament leader Watson, Janzen said, “I think it’s great Tom Watson’s playing well.

Sacramento native Kevin Sutherland got of to a great start and had a 2-under par round . Sutherland is just two shots back of Watson, Sutherland had a large group of followers throughout his round.

Sutherland who had one of the later tee times, said the heat started to get to him at the end.

“I was feeling it out there today. About hole 15, I felt like my legs were starting to go, and I got a little bit of a headache.”

Despite being local and being used to the heat in Sacramento, Sutherland had this to say about the weather conditions.

“It’s hot. There’s no way around it. It’s just hot. Hopefully, Saturday is supposed to be a lot nicer, and Sunday I hope it’s better too.

I felt I drove the ball well today for the most part. Keeping it out of the rough, which is a nice thing. I hit a lot of greens. I had a lot of tap-in pars. I left a lot of it short today. A little bit of pressure, I think, I was putting on myself today. Sutherland said about his round.

Sutherland was asked his feelings of the conditions of his home course at Del Paso.

The USGA came out about two years ago and changed the width of the fairways. As a general rule, the membership loves it. It’s given the course a lot more definition, and it’s really made the course a better golf course. The rough is not normal. The rough around the greens is definitely not normal. You can usually play out of it, and now you’re just kind of hacking out of it. I know the membership this spring was having a hard time getting around the course, but I know they’re enjoying this week. They’re having a great time.”

Buster, Vogey lead dominant Giants

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By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO – Ian Kennedy came into Wednesday’s game with some serious ownage on the Giants. He had amassed a 10-4 career mark against the Giants to go along with a 2.42 earned-run average, with most of that coming from his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Not to mention that the Giants had lost 10 of their previous 11 home games, including a recent three-game sweep at the hands of an Arizona team that currently sports a losing record.

At least for one night, Posey put all of that to rest with one swing of the bat.

In the third inning, Posey took advantage of a mistake in location by Kennedy, and he made the San Diego starter pay dearly for his transgression, sending the knee-high pitch that caught too much of the plate into the left-field seats for a grand slam to help the Giants sail past the Padres, 6-0, before 41,744 fans at AT&T Park.

It was the fourth-career grand slam for Posey, who currently leads all National league catchers in the most recent All-Star voting, and it also broke him out of his own 0-for-9 skid.

“I love three-run homers, but grand slams are even better,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “(They are) always big for a staff, too. (After that), they (approached) the hitters a little different, I think.

“It was a huge hit; it just got us over the hump.”

That quickly took the pressure off of starter Ryan Vogelsong, who proceeded to glide his way to a stellar outing that saw him surrender only five hits through six shutout innings, striking out four hitters against only a pair of walks.

It was Vogelsong’s second straight scoreless start and has not given up a run in the last 12 2/3 innings, after he had dropped three decisions in a row prior to his shutout win over Seattle last Thursday to start the current roll that he’s on now.

The only time that he faced any real trouble was in the fourth, when a Justin Upton double put runners on second and third with nobody out.

He started his climb out of the hole by striking out Derek Norris, and then after fielding Will Venable’s grounder, he caught Yonder Alonso wandering too far off third base and initiated a rundown that eliminated Alonso from the bases.

He then finished the job by getting Will Middlebrooks to ground out, keeping intact the shutout that the bullpen would maintain.

“He was pitching real efficiently,” Bochy said. “He made some great pitches, and he kept his poise.”

The Giants added to their lead in the fourth. Susac hit one into the gap in right-center, and when Matt Kemp fumbled it on the warning track, that allowed the slow-footed catcher to make it to third standing up. The next batter, Gregor Blanco, singled up the middle to bring him in and extend the Giants’ lead to six.

A continuing development for the Giants involves lefty specialist Javier Lopez. He has clearly not lost his deft touch against lefties – they are 2-for-38 against him this season, and he has not surrendered a hit to the last 28 left-handers he has faced – but he has shown much more of an ability to get righties out as well.

That was on display in the top of the seventh, as he faced three straight right-handers and retired them in order. If that trend continues, that is expected to save the Giants’ bullpen a considerable amount of wear and tear down the stretch while also forcing opposing managers to think longer about pinch-hitting scenarios in the later innings.

NOTES: With a double to go along with his triple on Wednesday, Susac extended his hitting streak to a career-high six games. On the other hand, Matt Duffy saw his eight-game hit streak – another career-high – come to an end, as he went 0-for-3 with a walk.

PGA Tour Golfer, Kevin Sutherland

Kevin Sutherland Happy to Be Home for U.S. Senior Open

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By Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO –

Sacramento once again plays host to a professional championship and Once again, the USGA returns to the Del Paso Country Club. Del Paso has hosted more USGA events than any venues other than Pebble Beach and The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

In the 1982 Del Paso hosted the U.S. Women’s Open,

Several USGA Championships have been hosted at Del Paso. The U.S. Women’s Amateur was hosted in 1957, 1964 and 1976.

Defending Champion Colin Montgomerie defeated Gene Sauers in a three-hole aggregate playoff to win the 2014 U.S. Senior Open Championship at Oak Tree National, in Edmond, Okla. Montgomerie and Sauers advanced to the playoff with 72-hole scores of 5-under 279. Montgomerie held a one-stroke lead through two holes and sank a 16-foot par putt to claim his first USGA championship.

140-plus pros will compete at this year’s open. Some of the big names include Tom Watson, Hale, Irwin, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Bernhard Langer.

Sacramento native Kevin Sutherland spoke about playing at Del Paso Sutherland is currently a member of Del Paso and calls it his home course.

“It’s been a total treat. To play a course I’ve played just about every day when I’m at home, it’s been a great experience. Something that not all PGA players get a chance to do. It’s a special treat.” said Sutherland.

Sutherland added, “It’s been a lot fun, but it’s been an eye opening experience. I have to get my priorities straight, It’s a time to be serious and get prepared for the tournament.“

‘I feel good at how I’m swinging at it. It doesn’t matter how much experience I have here if I’m not playing well.”

Sutherland spoke highly about the conditions of the course.

“The greens are in excellent condition and are not normally this quick. The greens faster than they normally are.”

Sutherland spoke about the additional pressure of playing on the home course.

“There’s definitely more going on. It’s been an incredible amount of fun, but it’s also an eye-opening experience to — there are so many people who are giving you so much support, but there’s a lot going on, and that’s fine. It’s about getting your priorities straight, and this is time where I’m serious about getting prepared for the tournament and, when the tournament comes around, being serious about competing in the tournament.”

Sacramento Native Natalie Gulbis knows all about this, the 14-year player on the LPGA Tour played in the U.S Women’s open in 1982 at Del Paso in front of family and friends.

Gulbis visited the media on Tuesday. Gulbis is a 15 year veteran on the LPGA tour. and is working the tournament as a Fox broadcaster. Gulbis also has experience playing at Del Paso while growing up in Sacramento.

“I played on a boys team in high school, and we would play against the different High schools in this area. Once you would get into the city events, you would start playing them at Del Paso or playing them at Northridge. This has always been one of the premier golf courses in Sacramento. So I never turned down an invitation to come and play here.”

Gulbis has some experience playing a major event in front of her hometown having played at Del Paso Country Club in the Women’s U.S Open in 1982.

“I’m so happy to be back in my hometown in Sacramento. I haven’t been in Sacramento for about a year.” Said Gulbis who spent last week following Rory McElroy in he U.S Open at Chambers Bay for Fox.

Gulbis will be playing in the Women’s U.S. Open next week.

“I love U.S. Opens. Everything about them, there’s no greater test of a player’s mental game and endurance and just the quality of shots they hit and the perseverance.“ said Gulbis .

Kevin’s brother David will be his caddie this week for the tournament.

“Knowing that we were coming here I thought I should have my brother. I have a full-time caddie, a guy named Billy Lewis, who’sactually caddying for Skip Kendall this week. He’s done a fantastic job. I talked to Billy three weeks ago and said, hey, it’s not about what you’ve done. I’m going to have my brother caddie for me. It’s going to be a great experience for the two of us.”

Sutherland spoke about the condition of the course.

“You can make some birdies early and the try to hang on. The rough is tough and it looks healthy. Staying out of the rough is the key here.”

Whoever whens this tournament is going to earn it. The last six holes will likely determine the tournament. The last six holes are hard. Every player I ‘ve talked to seems to love the place.The real scoring of the round is going to be in the middle of the round.”

Amarista wins it with a freak hit

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Alexi Amarista was on the bench all night, but with one hit, he won the game.

Amarista hit a ball off the glove of Hunter Strickland in the top of the 11th inning, as the San Diego Padres came back to defeat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 before a crowd of 42,067, the 363rd consecutive sellout at AT&T Park.

The Amarista single scored former Oakland A’s catcher Derek Norris from second base, after the catcher doubled with one out in the frame.

Madison Bumgarner went 7.1 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out a career-high 14.

It looked like it was going to be a special night for Bumgarner from the outset, as he retired the first 14 Padres until Yonder Alonso reached on a broken bat single just in front of Justin Maxwell with two outs in the top of the fifth inning.

Following the Alonso single to right field, Will Middlebrooks singled to right field; however Alonso was then caught stealing at third base to end the threat.

Bumgarner’s opponent on the mound, Odrisamer Despaigne was not too shabby either, as he went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out three.

The Giants finally got to the right-hander in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Gregor Blanco was able to beat out a squibber in front of the plhe aate that scored Matt Duffy from third base. Duffy led off the inning with a double. Joe Panik then followed up Blanco’s single with a double to straightaway centerfield that scored Blanco.

Bumgarner got into a jam in the top of the eighth inning, as he walked Alonso to leadoff the inning, Middlebrooks then doubled to right field and then Will Venable doubled down the left field line to tie up the game.

Padres manager Pat Murphy was ejected from a major league game for the first time, as he contested Clint Barmes strikeout just prior to the Venable double that tied up the game.

Following the Venable double that tied up the game, he was thrown out at second base on a ball hit by Cory Spangnberg, as Sergio Romo threw to Crawford to for the second out. The play was reviewed, and after a four minute 27 second review, the play stood.

Senior Tour Player Fred Couples

Fred Couples Withdraws from U.S. Senior Open Because of Back Troubles

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By Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO –

Fred Couples has withdrawn from the U.S. Senior Open because of a back injury.

The 55-year-old Couples has a long history of back trouble. He missed the cut at the Masters and has not played in the past two months. Couples also pulled out of qualifying earlier this month for the U.S. Open, held outside his hometown of Seattle.

He was runner-up at the U.S. Senior Open in his first year of eligibility and has not recorded a top 10 in the event since then.

Couples was replaced by Paul Trittler of Cave Creek, Arizona

SaberCats use second half surge to topple Outlaws

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By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, June 21, 2015

San Jose returned to the Arena Football League win column Sunday in Las Vegas, using a big second half to rout the Outlaws 63-31 at Thomas & Mack Center.

The victory gives the SaberCats a 12-1 record and a chance to host the ArenaBowl. San Jose, which has already clinched the Pacific Division title, has a one-game lead over the Philadelphia Soul (11-2) for the league’s best overall mark.

Reggie Gay hauled in eight passes for 67 yards, and Adron Tennell snagged five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. SaberCats’ quarterback Erik Meyer completed 20 of 28 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

The SaberCats scored 35 unanswered points in the second half after taking a 21-17 lead into the locker room.

Meyer started the second-half rally, scoring on a quarterback sneak, extending San Jose’s lead to 28-17. Rookie defensive back Fred Obi intercepted a J.J. Raterink pass, returning it to the Outlaw 2-yard-line where Darius Reynolds scored from on the next play.

Reynolds caught four passes for 56 yards and scored three touchdowns – two of them on the ground.

San Jose native Francis Maka came up with two sacks for the SaberCats. Obi came up with his second interception at the 9:02 mark of the fourth quarter, returning it for a 20-yard touchdown that gave San Jose a commanding 56-17 lead.

Obi finished with eight tackles. His two picks were the first of his Arena League career.

The SaberCats have little time to savor this win, as they travel to Spokane Friday to face the Shock in a 7 p.m. contest.

Lincecum pounded in loss

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By Jeremy Kahn

Tim Lincecum lasted in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers shorter than a Hollywood sitcom.

Lincecum was knocked out after just 1.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and the a Dodgers averted the sweep with a 10-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

It was the shortest outing of Lincecum’s career, as he threw 53 pitches in retiring four of the 10 batters he faced.

Justin Turner scored the only run that the Dodgers would need, as he scored on a Lincecum wild pitch with Howie Kendrick at the plate. Turner walked, since then went to third on a Adrian Gonzalez single.

Yasmani Grandal and Jimmy Rollins got to Lincecum in the second, advanced an additional 90 feet on a Brett Anderson sacrifice bunt and then both scored on a Yasiel Puig single into centerfield. Joc Pederson then doubled to score Puig and then Turner hit a single to score Pederson to put an end to Lincecum’s night.

The Giants got on the board in the top of the third, as Angel Pagan singled in Brandon Belt.

After that, things got even worse for the Giants, as Yusmeiro Petit got shelled, as he gave up four home run. Grandal hit two of the four home runs and Gonzalez and Turner each hit one, as the Dodgers averted the three-game sweep.

Another Giants win over Dodgers

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By Jeremy Kahn

Tim Hudson took the ball in the bottom of the first inning, and the right-hander proved why he is in his 17th season.

Hudson pitched into the seventh inning, allowing six hits and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 at Dodger Stadium.

With the victory, the Giants are now one half-game behind the Dodgers in the National League West, and have now won five straight against their longtime rivals. To make matters even worse, the Giants are now 9-2 versus the Dodgers this season.

Justin Maxwell and Brandon Belt each hit two-run home runs off of Dodgers starter Carlos Frias, who allowed all six runs and five hits.

Nori Aoki was forced to leave the game in the top of the first inning, as he was hit by a Frias pitch in the lower leg.

After scoring the Giants first run of the game on a Angel Pagan sacrifice fly, Aoki left the game with what was diagnosed with a bruised leg.

The Giants scored two in the inning, but Hudson gave up back-to-back home runs to Joc Pederson and Justin Turner.

Frias looked dominant after the hiccup in the first inning, as he retired nine in a row until Hudson broke the streak with a single in the top of the fifth inning and then Maxwell broke out of a 2-for-19 slump with a two-run home run into the left field bleachers.

Belt closed out the scoring in the top of the sixth inning, as he hit a high fly that just landed over the right-field wall on what looked like Yaisel Puig lost in the sun.

Hunter Strickland pitched 1.2 innings in relief of Hudson, striking out three and then Sergio Romo finished it off by pitching the ninth inning.